So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit. (Ephesians 2:19-22)
Paul now tells the Ephesians that they are now fellow-citizens with the Jews. Those who were without hope and without God, are no longer. They have been brought near. Those who were “alienated from the commonwealth of Israel” are now fellow-citizens. They are now true members of God’s kingdom, with equal status, because the terms of admission are the same for everyone – faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Citizenship implies the existence of a kingdom or nation. The citizens of a particular nation are not citizens of another. Citizens of a nation or kingdom are united in their allegiance to an authority. They also enjoy certain privileges of citizenship.
Not only are they fellow-citizens, they are family members of the household of God. The dividing wall is abolished, and they are to be accepted as brothers and sisters. Those in God’s covenant are a family, with God as their Father. The idea here is that the Gentiles have been brought into the kingdom, covenant, and family of God. This is opposed, at all points, to any sort of “replacement theology,” which teaches that the church has replaced Israel. The people of God have not been replaced or changed; they have been greatly enlarged.
As with any house, the household of God is built upon a foundation, and that foundation is Jesus Christ, through the apostles and prophets. The only real foundation upon which the church is built is Jesus Christ, which Paul attests in 1 Corinthians 3:11. However, the Lord Himself speaks of building His church on the rock of the confession of faith expressed by Peter (Matthew 16:18). God has, to a large extent, chosen to reveal Himself through the apostles and prophets. That revelation of Himself has established His people – the church. In this way, the testimony of these men of God is the foundation of the church.
Isaiah 28:16, Psalm 118:22, Acts 4:11, and 1 Peter 2:4-8 all speak of the cornerstone. The cornerstone is the first stone laid in the construction of a building. It must be square, plumb, and true, because every other stone in the structure is laid in relation to it. As the cornerstone, Jesus acts as the ultimate guide for all His people. They must adjust to fit His character.
Christ is not only the cornerstone which provides stability to His church, He is also the unifying factor. It is only as we abide in Him, under His leadership, that we remain united in one body. If we are not in Him, we are not with Him. If we are not with Him, we are against Him. Yet, in Him we are His body, and He nourishes us. As a body, the church of Christ is a growing building. It is not static. It is living; not dead.
God builds up His people. He builds up all His people. The Ephesians, as well as the Jews and other Gentiles, are being built by God, into a body – a building. And that building is the dwelling place of God. From the beginning, it has been evident that God fills all His creation. At the dedication of the temple, Solomon made reference to the fact that man cannot build a house to contain God. Yet, God has chosen to dwell among His people. In the wilderness, He dwelt in a tent like His people. When Solomon dedicated the temple, the glory cloud settled on it. Christ lived and ministered on earth as a man. Christ is now among His people in the form of the Spirit indwelling us.
